DL385 G2 Quad Core Memory Upgrade

[Bing Tan]

I upgraded my DL385 G2 to 2* Quad Core 2.1 AMD and I am planning to increase the RAM also, there are 8 memory slotts, do I need to follow any combination to maximise the data path?(I still want to keep my current 4*1G). Manly Thanks.

[Rajashekar Chintakunta]

Hi Bing Tan,

This server has 4 banks. As two processors are installed first processor uses Bank A(1A, 2A) and B(3B,4B). Second processor uses Bank C(5C, 6C) and D(7D, 8D).

Populate the 4x1GB in slot 1A, 2A, 5C and 6C. The upgraded/New memory install it in bank B and D.

That should work fine. For more information please check the quickspecs for this server.

HP ProLiant DL385 Generation 2 (G2) Quick Specs:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12565_div/12565_div.html#Memory

Regards,
Raj.

[Bing Tan]

Does this mean that the data path for each CPU is running 2 way if I populate the 1A 2A & 5C 6C with the same type of sticks? what if I populate them all with the same type of sticks, does this mean that it runs 4 way path for each CPU, therefore better performance? Thanks?

[Rajashekar Chintakunta]

Hi Bing,

Bank interleaving is automatically enabled on a processor node under the following conditions:
1) Four single ranked DIMMs populated per node (4 x 512 MB or 4 x 1 GB for example) yields 2-way bank interleaving.
2) Two dual ranked DIMMs populated per node (2 x 2 GB or 2 x 4 GB for example) yields 2-way bank interleaving.
3) Four dual ranked DIMMs populated per node (4 x 2 GB for example) yields 4-way bank interleaving.

If single and dual ranked DIMMs are mixed on the same node, bank interleaving will not be enabled.

Node interleaving can be configured via RBSU if both processors have the same memory footprint and it is independent of bank interleaving.

Hope the above information helps.

Regards,
Raj.

[ben tan_2]

Thanks guys for the input.

I am now looking for more memory upgrade as we upgrade to windows server 2008 R2.

I am currently having 2*quad core Opteron, 8*1G single rank,(p/n: 405475-051), I would assume that they are running in 2-way bank interleaving.

I'm just wondering that if I install 2 of 8G(2*4G) dual rank kit(p/n: 408854-B21), replacing 2 of 2G(2*1G), would it still enabling the server running in 2-way bank interleaving. or because there is mixing arrangement, the system will disable the memory interleaving?

By the way, is there any advantage between 2-way bank interleaving and 4-way bank interleaving in performance (memory I/O)? if so, how much. (I am running ESXi, host 2* Windows server in it).

Thanks for the input,

Cheers,

Bing Tan